An engine control module of an internal combustion engine controls the mixture of fuel and air supplied to combustion chambers of the engine. After the air/fuel mixture is ignited, combustion takes place and the combustion gases exit the combustion chambers through exhaust valves. The combustion gases are directed by an exhaust manifold to a catalyst (or “catalytic converter”) and/or other exhaust aftertreatment components.
During engine operation, certain exhaust aftertreatment components are configured to remove selected regulated constituents from the exhaust gas. An exemplary component is a particulate filter configured to remove carbon particles or particulates that result from incomplete combustion of a hydrocarbon fuel, also referred to as particulates, from the exhaust gas. An exemplary particulate filter is configured to remove a selected amount of particulates and periodically burn off the accumulated particulates through a regeneration process. Regeneration and removal of excess particulates prevents excessive backpressure for the internal combustion engine, which can lead to repair and maintenance issues. In some cases, controlling the burn rate of particulates and corresponding temperature within the filter can be difficult, as a burn rate that is too high may cause a thermal runaway condition and a burn rate that is too low may cause an extended time for the regeneration process. The time it takes to perform a regeneration process should also be reduced as much as possible, as the regeneration process can adversely affect fuel economy of the engine.